Rotary tool joint



Patented Dee.l 1 4, 1937 UNITED `sTATlas PATENT OFFICE s claims. (c1. 2s5-1401y This invention relates to a self-sealing rotary tool joint, and more particularly to a tool joint of the same general type as that disclosed in my s issxed patent Reissue 19,196, granted June' 5,

An object of this invention isto provide a rotary tool joint with an improved sealing ring and supporting structure therefor.

l Another object of this invention is to provide a tool joint having improved sealing means and improved means for confining the displacement of the sealing means by the inserting thrust of the pin member as it is screwed into the box member.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, thereis provided a rotary tool joint including box and'pin members'and a rubber sealing ring for disposition in the bottom of. the socket oi the 'box member, which ring has its inner periphery provided with diverging annular lips adapted to be pressed away from each other by fluid ilowing' through the joint into sealing engagement with the inner end of the pin member and the bottom of the socket of the box member.

Another feature of the invention relates to the g5 provision of an improved seat or supporting structure for the sealing ring which includes an annular rib connected to the bottom oi' the socket of the'box member and spaced from the wall of the socket so as to define an annular groove in which the ring is adapted to be seated; the free end of this rib also cooperating with thebottom oi.' the pin member to deilne a space through which an inner peripheral portion of the ring isadapted to extend so as to be exposed to the iluid under pressure owing through the joint when the joint is 'in use.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the 40- accompanying drawing, which illustrates several embodiments thereof, and in which: Figure l is a lfragmentary sectional view taken through la rotary tool joint embodying the'features of this invention, and illustrated as being applied to the upset lends of aligned drill pipes;

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1, `but showing the pin and box members as being separated, with the rubber ring disposed there- Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view corresponding to a portion of Figure 1 and showing the manner in which the rubber ring is displaced by the inserting thrust of the pin into .5 sealing engagement with thelower end oi' the pin and the bottom of the socket in the box member;

and

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, but illustrating a modification of the invention in which the lower end of the socket has an annular 6 groove defined on one side lby a tapered wall aligned with the tapered threaded wall of the socket.

On `the drawing:

The reference character Ill designates generail0 1y a rotary tool joint of the same general type as that disclosed in my aforesaid patent. This joint includes a pin member lli and a box member i2. Each of these members has a tapered pipe socket I3-I4 into which an upset threaded end-I5 of a 15 drill pipe i6 is adapted to be screwed.

Associated with the inner end of each of said upset en'ds i5 of the pipe is a rubber sealing ring I1 which embodiesthe features of my aforesaid patented invention. "il

The pin member Il has a downwardly. extendling or depending tapered threaded shank 20 resilient sealing ring 25 embodying the features of this invention. This ring is adapted to be disposed in an annular groove 26 formed in the bottom of the socket 2|. This groove is deiined on one side by an upstanding annular. rib- 21(35 formed integral with an intermediate interior section of the box member I2. 'I'he other side of this groove 26 is defined by a straight. wall 28 t formed at the lowerend oi' the thread of the socket 2|. 40

The rubber ring 25 has a larger cross-sectional area than that oi' the groove 26 so as to project upwardly beyond the groove. This upwardly projecting portion of the rubber ring 25 includesA a lateral extension 30 adapted to project between 45 the top of the rib 21 and the lower end of the shank 20, as is evident from Figures 2 and 3. Moreover, this extension 3B is providedat its inner periphery with a V-shaped notch or groove 3|. This notch in eiect provides the inner pe- 50 ripheral portion oi' the ring 25 with oppositely. disposed diverging lips which are exposed to the pressure of the iluid flowing through the tool joint when the joint is in use. Obviously, this iluid pressure will force these lips in opposite directions, or in other words, into tight sealing engagement with the lower end of the shank 20 and the top of the rib 21. In this manner, the iluid under pressure is also utilized to aid in the maintenance of the seal between the bottom of the shank 2|] and the socket 2|.

In the assembly of the device, the rubber ring 25 is flexed or snapped into the bottom of the socket so that it is seated in the groove 26 between the rib 21 and the straight wall 28. Thereafter the shank 20 of the pin is threaded into the socket until its inserting thrust is applied to the top of the ring, whereby the ring is wedged or displaced into tight sealing engagement with both the lower end of the shank 20 and the side wall 28 in the bottom of the socket 2|. The inward movement of the shank 20 in the socket 2| is limited by the shoulder 22 contacting the shoulder 23.

If there be any play between the box and pin members, or in other words, should the pin member tend to become loosened in the box member, the rubber ring, due to its being under compression, compensates for any such play and continues to maintain the iiuid-tight seal. That is to say, the live rubber of the ring 25 causes said ring to at all times have a tendency to be urged into tight sealing engagement with the conning surfaces.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated a modication in which the pin member has a threaded shank |20 adapted to be screwed into the threaded socket |2| of the box member ||2. In the lower end of the socket there isdisposed a rubber sealing ring |25, which, like the rubber ring 25, is confined on the seat by means of an annular rib |21 formed integral with the box member ||2.

The only difference between this form of the invention and the form previously described resides in the wall |28, which is shown to be inclined or tapered, instead of straight as in the case of the wall 28. 'I'he tapered wall |28 is aligned with the threaded portion of the socket |2|. The advantage of this tapered wall is that it enables the rubber ring to be wedged or crowded down an incline by the inserting thrust of the shank |20 of the pin member.

Now, I desire it understood that while I have illustrated and described in detail several forms of the invention, the invention is not to be thus limited, but only insofar as dened by-the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rotary tool joint including a box member having a threaded socket, a pin member having a threaded shank adapted to be screwed into said socket, and a sealing ring of resilient material disposed between the inner end of said shank and the bottom of said socket, said ring having its inner periphery provided with diverging annular lips which terminate in relatively sharp edges adapted to be pressed away from each other by uid flowing through said joint into sealing engagement with the end of the shank and an edge portion of the bottom of said socket, said bottom of the socket having an integral upwardly projecting annular rib, the inner surface of which is aligned with the inner surface of the bore of the pin member, said resilient ring being disposed between said rib and a side wall of the socket on the bottom of the socket and projecting outside said rib, whereby said rib aids to confine the rubber against displacement from the bottom of the socket without interfering with the pressing of the sealing ring into tight sealing position by the inserting thrust of the shank as itis screwed into the socket.

2. A rotary tool joint including a box member having a threaded socket, a pin member having a threaded shank adapted to be screwed into said socket, both of said members having aligned bores through vwhich uid under pressure is adapted to ow when the joint is in use, and a rubber sealing ring in the bottom of said socket positioned in the path of the threaded shank so as to be subjected to the inserting thrust of the same, whereby the ring can be pressed into tight sealing engagement between the inner end of the shank and the bottom of the socket, said bottom of the socket being provided with an upstanding annular rib between which and the tapered wall of the socket the rubber ring is adapted to be disposed, said rib being in alignment with the bore in the pin member, and said rubber ring having a .laterally extending peripheral portion adapted to project between the top of this rib and the bottom of said shank.

3. A rotary tool joint including a box member having a threaded socket, a pin member having a threaded shank adapted to be screwed into said socket, both of said members having aligned bores through which uid under pressure is adapted to flow when the joint is in use, and a rubber sealing ring in the bottom of said socket positioned in the path of the threaded shank so as to be subjected to the inserting thrust of the same, whereby the ring can be pressed into tight sealing engagement between the inner end of the shank and the bottom of the socket, said bottom of the socket being provided with an upstanding annular rib between which and the tapered wall of the socket the rubber ring is adapted to be disposed, said rib being in alignment with the bore in the pin member, and said rubber ring having a laterally extending peripheral portion adapted to project between the top of this rib and the bottom of said shank, said portion having a V-shaped annular groove on its inner periphery so as to provide oppositely disposed lips adapted to be pressed by fluid under pressure into engagement with the top of said rib and the bottom of said shank.

4. A rotary tool joint including a box member, a pin member adapted to be threaded into the box member, and a sealing ring for disposition in the box member to establish a seal between the members, said sealing ring being disposed in the path of the pin member so that it can be subjected to the inserting thrust of the pin member as the pin member is screwed into the box member, whereby the ring is displaced into tight sealing cooperation with said members, one of said members having on the interior of the joint an annular rib spaced from the adjoining wall of the joint so as to define a seat for the rubber tion formed to extend between an end of said annular rib and the lower end of the pin member inside of the socket, which portion faces the.

interior of thejoint so as to be subjected to the pressure of the fluid flowingtherethrough when the joint is in use.

5. In a rotary pack-off tool joint the combination including pin and socket members, and a packing ring disposed between said pin and socket members, said packing ring having a cross-sectional configuration which includes a ,tion including pin and socket'I members, and a packing ring disposed between said pin and socketmembers, said packing ring having a crosssectional conguration which includes a pair of l inwardly .extending diverging lips. an axially extending depending flange on one side, and an axially Aoppositely extending flange on the other side.

7, In a rotary pack-oil tool joint the combination including pin and socket members, and a packing. ring disposed between said pin and socket members,'said packing ring having a crosssectional configuration which includes a pair of inwardly extending diverging lips, an axially extending depending ange on one side, and an axially oppositely extending flange on the other side, said second flange having a thickness dinension substantially smaller than that of said rst ange.

8. In a rotary pack-off tool joint the combination including pin and socket members, and a. packing ring disposed between said pin and socket members, said packing ring having a crosssectional configuration which includes a pair of inwardly extending diverging lips which terminate in relatively sharp edges.

FRANK J. HINDERLITER. 

